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Chicago Fire returns from that intense One Chicago crossover with an episode focused more on character moments than action sequences, that includes a tornado, a visit from Homeland Security, and an emotional goodbye to a piece of facial hair that’s been a faithful friend to us all from the very beginning.

So, yes, like the debris left behind in the wake of a twister, “The Path of Destruction” is a little scattered, but, much like Aunt Meg in the movie Twister, it still manages to tug at my robot heartstrings.

Let’s go around the horn and see how some of the men and women of Firehouse 51 are handling Chicago’s severe weather warning:

Herrmann: It’s Christopher Herrmann’s first shift post-stabbing, and his wife (seriously, Robyn Coffin is always great, no matter how small the scene) is more than a little worried. Fear not, Cindy! Firehouse 51 has Herrmann’s back. All Herrmann really wants to do is forget the stabbing ever happened and figure out a way to feel like his old self again. He thinks a day back on the job will do the trick.

Because nothing can be easy, Herrmann’s first day back includes a tornado that just happens to touch down in his neighborhood. When 51 gets called to the scene, Herrmann is distracted and attempts to make contact with his family. Casey points his intense baby blues directly at Herrmann and reminds him that right now, the only thing that exists is this call. The two men head into a burning apartment building on the verge of collapse and rescue a husband and wife.

Once that’s all wrapped up, Casey takes Truck 81 over to the Herrmann house, and they find Cindy there, scared, but totally fine. Herrmann is flooded with relief. These two are the cutest, you guys. Adopt me?

Back at the house, Herrmann has a heart-to-heart with Casey, and thanks his Lieutenant for his support in the field. Rescuing that family, getting back to normal—that is exactly what Herrmann needed. Casey makes sure Herrmann knows that when he’s not himself, no one else in the house is; Herrmann is the heart and soul of 51.

You know how I know Herrmann is feeling better? He finds Mouch, upset over a wrong call he made during the rescue, and gives his buddy a patented Herrmann pep talk. All is right in 51 again.

Chili: Well, er, maybe, except for the whole Chili thing. Chili’s erratic behavior is getting really out of hand. Ambo 61 is called to a restaurant where a woman (hello, America’s Next Top Model‘s Jaslene) is having a seizure. Chili’s so distracted that she ends up pumping the woman full of morphine and stopping her breathing all together. Thanks to Brett’s quick-thinking, everything ends up okay, but once they’re at the hospital, Chili lies about what went down. Brett isn’t happy.

What’s worse is that Chili shows no remorse whatsoever for her almost-fatal mistake. When Brett asks her partner to talk about the incident, Chili wants none of it—she’s more interested in planning a night out with the boys and half-price margaritas (granted, that sounds fun, but a one-time Top Model almost died!).

Brett unloads her concerns to Dawson, who agrees that not taking mistakes seriously is a real problem in this job. With that advice in mind, Brett reports Chili to Chief Boden, who implies the consequences will be severe.

It’s a shame Brett doesn’t wait until the next day, because, as she’s chatting with the Chief, Dawson learns from her brother that Chili’s sister, Jellybean (Antonio’s old C.I.), was found dead a few weeks ago.

Otis: You may think that Herrmann and Chili have the intense, emotional stories of the week, but you’d be wrong. The real emotion in this episode comes from Otis’s brave decision to finally shave his facial hair.

Otis is tired of being the “nice guy” with a “good job” who can “bench press 200 pounds,” yet always ends up as the second choice when it comes to the ladies. He enlists Dawson as a sort of woman-guru, but she only agrees to help if Otis follows her every instruction without any complaints. Her first order of business? Otis needs to shave his mustache and Apolo Anton Ohno soul patch. He’s had them for seven years, and it’s time for a change.

Otis is, of course, horrified at the prospect, until he hears that Brett has dumped her latest guy because he was incapable of change. Now, I’m 100 percent against any man shaving his mustache AT A BAR, as it is completely unsanitary, however, ill-selected location aside, Otis finally puts his razor where his mouth is (or, like, right above it), and shaves that sweet, sweet ‘stache off. Now, go get ’em, brother!

Firehouse 51 Bulletin Board:

Cruz is still reeling from Herrmann’s stabbing, but it isn’t just guilt he’s feeling—Cruz has fought so hard to be more than where he came from, and he’s scared all of that work was pointless—and it’s so compellingly portrayed in Joe Minoso’s performance. My watered-down-from-tears Pinot Noir does not thank you.

During the tornado call, Casey saves a teen with a large piece of glass in his back, and the boy’s parents. Post-shift, he checks on them at Chicago Med (DR. CHOI ALERT), only to discover that although the boy will be fine, his father died from head trauma. Casey can only control so much, I guess.

Serious question: Can Severide ever work with a woman without there being sexual tension? When Kelly tells Homeland Security Agent Alex, who is looking for 51 to help her with a suspect’s home located in the tornado’s path, that if she “wants [him] to kick down a door, [he’ll] kick down a door,” does he mean literally but also, like, emotionally?

Expression Of JoyThe Brady Bunch: Groovy! The Bradys: Ritual hugging Married…With Children: ”Oh, great.” Thirtysomething: ”Of course I’m happy for you. Really. But what about me? Why does it always have to be about you? The Flintstones: ”Yabba-dabba doo

Expression Of Rage

The Brady Bunch: ”Hmmm…” The Bradys: ”If you back away from something you really want, then you’re a quitter!” (the angriest any Brady has ever been) Married…With Children: ”Aaagh, God, take me from this miserable life!” Thirtysomething: ”I’m not angry, OK?” The Flintstones: ”Willllmaaaa!”

Typical ProblemThe Brady Bunch: Marcia and her rival both want to be the prom queen. The Bradys: Bobby gets paralyzed. Married…With Children: Al doesn’t buy his family Christmas presents. Thirtysomething: Nancy gets cancer. The Flintstones: Fred and Barney are staying out too late.

Typical SolutionThe Brady Bunch: The prom committee decides to have two queens. The Bradys: Bobby gets married. Married…With Children: They hate him. Thirtysomething: If only we knew… The Flintstones: Wilma and Betty decide to follow them.

Attitude Toward SexThe Brady Bunch: Never heard of it The Bradys: Omigod — even Cindy does it! Married…With Children: Peg: Yes. Al: No. Thirtysomething: They didn’t get all those kids by accident. The Flintstones: Prehistoric

How Spouses FightThe Brady Bunch: They don’t. The Bradys: Infrequently, but it happens Married…With Children: Tooth and nail Thirtysomething: They stop talking The Flintstones: Fred and Barney go bowling while Wilma and Betty max out their charge cards.

How Kids Get Into TroubleThe Brady Bunch: Greg takes a puff of a cigarette. The Bradys: Carol’s grandson steals her business cards and sticks them in the spokes of Bobby’s wheelchair. Married…With Children: By committing felonies Thirtysomething: Ethan plays with a forbidden toy rocket. The Flintstones: They don’t.

How They’re Punished

The Brady Bunch: ”It’s not what you did, honey — it’s that you couldn’t come to us.” The Bradys ”Next time, ask.” Married…With Children: By the authorities Thirtysomething: It blows up in his face. The Flintstones: They’re not.

What Family Does For FunThe Brady Bunch: Takes special three-part vacations to Hawaii and the Grand Canyon The Bradys: Has flashbacks Married…With Children: Exchanges insults Thirtysomething: Talks The Flintstones: Attends showings of The Monster at the Bedrock Drive-In

Unsolved MysteriesThe Brady Bunch: How exactly did Carol’s first husband and Mike’s first wife die? The Bradys: What’s with Marcia’s new face and Bobby’s blonde hair Married…With Children: What kind of hair spray does Peg use? Thirtysomething: Why did Nancy take Elliot back? What do Gary and Susanna see in each other? The Flintstones: How does Barney’s shirt stay on if he has no shoulders? Where do Fred and Wilma plug in their TV?

Worst BehaviorThe Brady Bunch: The Brady children once made Alice feel under-appreciated.

Best Reason To WatchThe Brady Bunch: This is what life should be. The Bradys: They’re all grown-ups now! Married…With Children: Terry Rakolta hates it. Thirtysomething (Tie) This is your life. This isn’t your life. The Flintstones: This is what life might have been.

Best Reason Not To WatchThe Brady Bunch: Blurred vision from rerun overdoses. The Bradys: You’re all grown-ups now. Married…With Children: She has a point. Thirtysomething: After a while, you think it’s real. The Flintstones: The Simpsons